Some people believe that using animals to test the safety of human medicines is cruel and unwarranted, whereas others feel it is a medical necessity.

Discuss both views and state your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer

Animal testing has become a highly controversial debate in recent years, with strong and emotive arguments presented on both sides.

The view that testing medicines on animals is necessary is supported by those who argue that if not animals, then who? Animals are seen as the only logical testing population close enough to humans to accurately identify and test the efficacy of different types of medicines, including those involved in cancer treatment, and other potentially life-saving drugs. Furthermore, there is the notion that animals do not feel or experience pain and suffering in the same ways that humans do, and that all research on animals is ethically conducted to minimise any pain that is felt.

However, the other side of the debate revolves around the argument that animals do experience pain and suffering, and it is simply unacceptable to subjcct them to medical testing. Also, opponents of medical testing on animals point out that the results are not necessarily reliable when applied to human populations: even though as mammals we might be very similar, we are not the same. This brings into question the entire philosophical base behind testing medicine on animals. There is also the moral question of whether we humans actually have the right to subject animals to testing and inhumane experiments against their will.

In my opinion, the use of animals for medical testing should be avoided at all costs, as I feel that animals deserve human’s respect and kindness. Alternatives to medical testing on animals must be sought